I started jumping in 1980 at Lake Elsinore, and although
it took me until 1981 to made my second jump, I have been firmly hooked ever
since. I have since accumulated
4920 jumps, 86+ Hours of freefall and the usual assortment of wings, badges
and awards that go along with the time and exits.

I earned my first rating as a static
line jumpmaster in 1985, and hold current ratings as an Instructor in Static
Line, IAD, Tandem (Vector, Sigma, Strong and Jump Shack) and Accelerated
FreeFall. I also shoot & edit video/stills, and I am an FAA Senior
Rigger.

These ratings, combined with my appointments as
both a Coach Course Director, Tandem Course Director (Vector/Sigma) and an
AFF Designated Evaluator, have enabled me to travel all around Florida and
into Georgia, not to mention Japan and other world wide points as a working
skydiver.

Just as some skydivers are proud of their dedication
as competitors, I am equally proud of being an Instructor. Part of that pride
has always included a dedication to safety, and to a never ending goal to
enhance those skills.

POLITICAL OVERVIEW

As Regional Director, I have tried to maintain an available
profile, if not a prominent one. What I have found in general is that
while members want to contact their Regional Director now and again, having
me poised on their shoulders is not the preferred location. I've dealt
with any number of issues ranging from continued BSR violations resulting
in revoked membership/ratings, all the way down to settling squabbles about
how a DZ should be allowed to advertise. Of course, there's also the
happy side of being able to verify & present various awards and achievements
to members, the crown of these being able to present Lew Sanborn with the
first 50 year member of USPA at the POPs Springfest this year.

I get my photo in the magazine doing the "upside" of
the job when I'm presenting these awards, but I've always tried to keep the
"downside" issues quiet; it wouldn't surprise me if you hadn't heard
about them, bad news rides a fast horse, and I have tried to give the white
knight a head start.

On the association side, I have been one of the strongest
voices in editing the new student training manuals, as well as the re-modified
SIM. I currently sit as Chair of the Training Sub-Committee (within
the Safety & Training Committee), so I have responsibilities to my voice
as well. I have always stead fast in my goal of maintaining the standards
by which the association rates jumpmasters, and in fact I have pushed to increase
the standards by which our association rates instructors in ALL disciplines.
The rating process in USPA's AFF program has been emulated by almost every
other country - in fact, some countries have copied it without changes -
which I see as a high compliment: it would be a shame to lose that international
standing, much less the safety record that our AFF program has attained.USPA's AFF Certification Course has yielded an instructional
staff, hence students jumps, with an amazing world wide safety standard.
This is the standard I want to see maintained overall. Safety to our
students should be the single priority to consider when rating instructors.

I am also sitting as Chairman of the Membership Services
Committee, and in that time I have overseen the implementation of an online
membership database, web page enhancements, relocated director listings
in Parachutist for easier member access, investigated membership benefits
including pager, cell phone and personal insurance discounts, and worked
to improve the associations relationship with insurance companies in providing
individual and demonstration jump insurances. While not successful
in all of these pursuits, it has been important to me to use the chair to
improve the "perks" of membership. The jewel that will soon be in place
will be the USPA Winter Giveaway, wherein a USPA member will receive a full
set of equipment, from gloves to both canopies in a container. The
final details are being completed for the first giveaway next January.

While student training - hence safety - is of utmost
importance to me, I also see the critical nature of a membership that enjoys
paying it's dues every year. The main benefits of membership tend
to be hidden (government lobbying, FAA relations, etc.) but the fun stuff
(magazine, car rental cards, etc.) are most noticed. Membership services
oversees these functions, and I've enhanced them wherever I could.

My 22 year history in skydiving gives me a particularly
useful perspective on continuing in this position over other candidates.
I attained my first instructional rating in 1985 and almost immediately began
putting out static line students at Lake Elsinore. When they closed
I worked at San Diego Air Sports until shortly before I moved to the southeast.
I became an Instructor as soon as the one year jumpmastering requirement
was filled (1986), and that same year became an AFF instructor. In
1992 I started doing tandems, now hold ratings in both Strong and Vector,
and I have become a Relative Workshop Examiner for Vector and Sigma.
(I had attained a Racer rating as well, but let it lapse due to the few
number of rigs available to maintain my currency).

These ratings, along with my career of skydiving travels,
have allowed me to continue traveling and learn more about what needs skydivers
all over have, as well as the needs of the students and staff at these Drop
Zones.

I have always considered the needs of the skydivers
jumping at both the small and large DZ's. When I started jumping in
1980, few members had access to the large aircraft of the time (DC-3's and
Twin Beeches) and the "Cessna Centers" were predominate. Having spent
a great deal of time at those smaller centers, it's easy for me to relate
to those jumpers, and attempt to fill their needs while keeping the "Turbine
Jumpers" in mind as well.

In a nutshell: I believe in and have maintained a required
presence for membership mediations and violation investigations, a commitment
to keeping students safe, and a desire to improve the presence of USPA to
it's membership; I will continue to drive these goals homeward during
another term as Regional Director.

Please feel free to email me at barry@gate.net
if you have an questions or comments, or contact me via the information listed
in the Directors section of Parachutist - I am always available to pursue
any reasonable discussion.

CURRENT
TRAVEL SCHEDULEUpdated 9/16/02

10-9

ExhibitionSkydive

Sarasota,Florida

11/9-11

ExhibitionSkydive

Palm Beach,FL

10-19

ExhibitionSkydive

Orlando,Florida

11/28-12/1

TurkeyBoogie

Lake Wales,FL

10/26-11/3

AFFCC

Sebastian,Florida

12/21

Exhibition
Skydive

Masonic Lodge 242

Want to see more of me? Just contact
me, and ask! It's just about that easy.

If you have any questions or comments ...drop me an email,
and let me know!